Insurance company Direct Line is calling for a review of penalties for uninsured drivers after it was revealed that fines are falling.
There are over 1.5 million uninsured drivers in the UK, but only 260,000 are convicted each year.
Of those caught, the average fine paid is £185, compared to £224 ten years ago. This is also less than the penalties for smoking in smoke-free places (£200) or not paying your TV licence (£1,000).
Around 200 road users a year are killed in accidents involving uninsured drivers.
This can cost the UK up to £500 million a year, which adds an average of £30 to an insured driver's premium. They can also face losing their no claims bonus.
Maggie Game, head of car insurance at Direct Line, said: "The fact that the average penalty for driving uninsured is less than a quarter of the potential fine for not owning a TV licence is alarming."
Direct Line believes stricter measures need to be imposed by the courts to help discourage people from driving without insurance.
Although it is complicated, drivers involved in accidents with an uninsured driver can still make a claim against them according to the Claims Connection.
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